East Harlem & Central park
Today was the fourth day of touring and it was another perfect day. Again we met at Penn Station, minus Meritta, and took the subway to East Harlem or "El Barrio." East Harlem has one of the largest Latino communities in the country, and despite demographic changes, the neighborhood still retains its distinctively Latino flavor"(ENY,161). We took the 6 train and got off at 103rd and Lexington. We saw tenements and walked along a not so great area but we saw sky rises in the area, which is an example of the gentrification which is taking place. Our first stop was the Museum of The City of New York. We watched "the well-made 22 minute documentary, "Timescapes," which provides an engaging multimedia history of New York City" (ENY,163). The film was actually pretty interesting and the museum had some nice paintings inside.
Just outside the museum about a block away we met with Luke, who was our tour guide for the next 45 minutes. Luke was a real nice guy, who came from The Bronx but knew the area of East Harlem very well. We toured the neighborhood and the community gardens. "Community gardens like this one are scattered around the city of New York and provide tranquil oases for those seeking to escape from the hectic pace of the urban life" (ENY, 163). We saw the mural created by Yasmin Hernandez which "is a tribute to the struggles of the Puerto Rican and Mexican inhabitants of East Harlem and the ties that bind these two communities together" (ENY,164). We stopped in front of a bookstore and a small store where some people bought bracelets. The mural is of a Mexican woman artist and a Puerto Rican woman poet with their hands and hearts intertwined. It really is interesting. I really enjoyed the artwork on the buildings. As we walked we saw Luke's boss from the museum where he worked, I hope he didn't get in trouble for being our guide. He was great and a member of the Peace Poets.
For lunch we chose to eat at a cheap Mexican restaurant that advertised it was 100% Mexican. Mike joined us and I had chicken quesadillas and a soda for $6.00. It tasted good and although the place was small our group was able to sit down. After lunch, as a group, we decided not to go to the Museum of Modern Art (MOMA), which I had been to before, but to head to Central Park. "In 1873, Central Park was essentially completed and became the first major public park created in any city in the United States" (ENY, 149). It was a perfect day in the park and because it was a Jewish holiday, there were lots of kids, bikers, roller-bladers, joggers, and walkers throughout the park. We saw The Central Park Reservoir also know as the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir. "The reservoir is 40 feet deep and holds over 1 billion gallons of water" (ENY,151). Amazing. Near 81st street we saw the Egyptian Obelisk, the oldest monument in the city, it is called Cleopatra's Needle. "The 3500 year old Obelisk is made of red granite, stands 69 feet tall, and weights 224 tons" (ENY,153).
We also saw the Ramble area which is "Central Park's version of a forested glen" and a spot where according to Mike, couples go for their "romantic interludes" (ENY,154). We saw the the 20 acre Central Park Lake where you can rent a rowboat. Also, we viewed the spot in Home Alone 3 that was filmed in front of the fountain. We saw the Dakota building which was one of the first luxury apartment buildings and the place where John Lennon lived, not far from where he was shot. Also we went by Strawberry Fields, "a 2.5 acre site on the western edge of Central Park across from the Dakota as a tribute to Lennon" (ENY,156).
All in all it was a great day at the park and as I re-entered Penn station, I heard that there were delays on the trains due to a disabled train at Woodside. Oh no, I thought my first commuting problem. But no, as my luck was still holding, I arrived back in Mineola only two minutes later than expected. A good day was not to be ruined by the transit system.
Just outside the museum about a block away we met with Luke, who was our tour guide for the next 45 minutes. Luke was a real nice guy, who came from The Bronx but knew the area of East Harlem very well. We toured the neighborhood and the community gardens. "Community gardens like this one are scattered around the city of New York and provide tranquil oases for those seeking to escape from the hectic pace of the urban life" (ENY, 163). We saw the mural created by Yasmin Hernandez which "is a tribute to the struggles of the Puerto Rican and Mexican inhabitants of East Harlem and the ties that bind these two communities together" (ENY,164). We stopped in front of a bookstore and a small store where some people bought bracelets. The mural is of a Mexican woman artist and a Puerto Rican woman poet with their hands and hearts intertwined. It really is interesting. I really enjoyed the artwork on the buildings. As we walked we saw Luke's boss from the museum where he worked, I hope he didn't get in trouble for being our guide. He was great and a member of the Peace Poets.
For lunch we chose to eat at a cheap Mexican restaurant that advertised it was 100% Mexican. Mike joined us and I had chicken quesadillas and a soda for $6.00. It tasted good and although the place was small our group was able to sit down. After lunch, as a group, we decided not to go to the Museum of Modern Art (MOMA), which I had been to before, but to head to Central Park. "In 1873, Central Park was essentially completed and became the first major public park created in any city in the United States" (ENY, 149). It was a perfect day in the park and because it was a Jewish holiday, there were lots of kids, bikers, roller-bladers, joggers, and walkers throughout the park. We saw The Central Park Reservoir also know as the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir. "The reservoir is 40 feet deep and holds over 1 billion gallons of water" (ENY,151). Amazing. Near 81st street we saw the Egyptian Obelisk, the oldest monument in the city, it is called Cleopatra's Needle. "The 3500 year old Obelisk is made of red granite, stands 69 feet tall, and weights 224 tons" (ENY,153).
We also saw the Ramble area which is "Central Park's version of a forested glen" and a spot where according to Mike, couples go for their "romantic interludes" (ENY,154). We saw the the 20 acre Central Park Lake where you can rent a rowboat. Also, we viewed the spot in Home Alone 3 that was filmed in front of the fountain. We saw the Dakota building which was one of the first luxury apartment buildings and the place where John Lennon lived, not far from where he was shot. Also we went by Strawberry Fields, "a 2.5 acre site on the western edge of Central Park across from the Dakota as a tribute to Lennon" (ENY,156).
All in all it was a great day at the park and as I re-entered Penn station, I heard that there were delays on the trains due to a disabled train at Woodside. Oh no, I thought my first commuting problem. But no, as my luck was still holding, I arrived back in Mineola only two minutes later than expected. A good day was not to be ruined by the transit system.
Central Harlem & Hell's Kitchen
This is class number 5 and once again our group got lucky, we again had a perfect weather forecast. Our class began by taking the subway to the Frick Art and Historical Center located on 5th Avenue and 70th Street. The Frick mansion was built in 1913, “designed by the architectural team of Carrere and Hastings, the mansion has been wonderfully preserved and provides a suitably upscale venue for viewing Frick’s considerable collection of European art” (ENY, 130). We had a woman tour guide who showed us some of the paintings from as early as the 1500’s. The collection includes paintings, sculptures, small bronze sculptures, 1700’s furniture and gardens. I had never been to the Frick before but I have heard about it and I was impressed with the exhibits and the preservation of the entire mansion. Obviously, Henry Clay Frick had a lot of money and was really into sculpture and El Greco paintings. It is amazing that the old paintings could last this long.
Our next stop was Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, also a place that I had never been to, but which I had heard much about. We walked through Central Park to get there. This is on 65th Street and is a complex of buildings in the Lincoln Square neighborhood. The Metropolitan Opera House is part of this complex, along with Avery Fisher Hall and Julliard. I didn’t know any of that before our visit. The complex of buildings is over 16 acres. We saw the huge chandeliers, which Mike didn’t particularly like, but most of us thought they were pretty cool looking.
We had lunch at Yum Yum Too, which is a Thai restaurant. We all ate together today and I had a salad with peanut dressing and Thai chicken and rice. As you may have guessed by now I am not very adventurous in eating, but surprisingly, I liked it. The food was not as spicy as I had expected and it was good to sit down with everyone for a change. We are beginning to feel like a real cohesive group, even though, like the city we are visiting, we are very diversified in many ways. YumYum Too is in Hell’s Kitchen, “the neighborhood in Midtown West located between 34th and 59th Streets, and extending from 8th Avenue to the Hudson River” (ENY, 122). I have been to this area before but I never knew it was called Hell’s Kitchen. There are some pretty nice areas here and the side streets are lined with trees. The name doesn’t seem to fit the area any more. Some people have tried to call the area Midtown West or Clinton after DeWitt Clinton Park in the area, but neither name seems to stick.
We took the subway, and I am getting much better at understanding the different lines, and we ended up at 135th Street and Lenox. This area is considered Central Harlem. “Central Harlem contains some of the city’s best preserved residential streets as well as many of Harlem’s most important cultural and religious institutions” (ENY, 179). We had a tour guide and I noticed that many parts of the area have been gentrified. I was impressed with the murals on the walls in Harlem, particularly, the one on Harlem Hospital that is glass. We looked at a couple of famous Baptist churches and walked around the area. Also, I liked the stop and frisk mural, which was the artists’ reflection of what, has been happening in the area with racial profiling. It is a lesson to the community and it was completed in August of 2013. It is called, “Know Your Rights Mural” and took six months to complete.
At the end of the day, Mike was going on to Sylvia’s Soul Food Restaurant which is supposed to have the best “down home southern food” (ENY, 188) in Manhattan. I thought about joining him, but I was tired and eager to catch an early train, so we left him in Harlem. I didn’t see the Mineola train at Penn, so I jumped on the Garden City line and was lucky to not have to stop in Jamaica. The early train only cost $3.00 more, but as I sat on the train, I knew that I missed, “Sylvia’s world famous talked about bar-b-que ribs”. Maybe next time.
Our next stop was Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, also a place that I had never been to, but which I had heard much about. We walked through Central Park to get there. This is on 65th Street and is a complex of buildings in the Lincoln Square neighborhood. The Metropolitan Opera House is part of this complex, along with Avery Fisher Hall and Julliard. I didn’t know any of that before our visit. The complex of buildings is over 16 acres. We saw the huge chandeliers, which Mike didn’t particularly like, but most of us thought they were pretty cool looking.
We had lunch at Yum Yum Too, which is a Thai restaurant. We all ate together today and I had a salad with peanut dressing and Thai chicken and rice. As you may have guessed by now I am not very adventurous in eating, but surprisingly, I liked it. The food was not as spicy as I had expected and it was good to sit down with everyone for a change. We are beginning to feel like a real cohesive group, even though, like the city we are visiting, we are very diversified in many ways. YumYum Too is in Hell’s Kitchen, “the neighborhood in Midtown West located between 34th and 59th Streets, and extending from 8th Avenue to the Hudson River” (ENY, 122). I have been to this area before but I never knew it was called Hell’s Kitchen. There are some pretty nice areas here and the side streets are lined with trees. The name doesn’t seem to fit the area any more. Some people have tried to call the area Midtown West or Clinton after DeWitt Clinton Park in the area, but neither name seems to stick.
We took the subway, and I am getting much better at understanding the different lines, and we ended up at 135th Street and Lenox. This area is considered Central Harlem. “Central Harlem contains some of the city’s best preserved residential streets as well as many of Harlem’s most important cultural and religious institutions” (ENY, 179). We had a tour guide and I noticed that many parts of the area have been gentrified. I was impressed with the murals on the walls in Harlem, particularly, the one on Harlem Hospital that is glass. We looked at a couple of famous Baptist churches and walked around the area. Also, I liked the stop and frisk mural, which was the artists’ reflection of what, has been happening in the area with racial profiling. It is a lesson to the community and it was completed in August of 2013. It is called, “Know Your Rights Mural” and took six months to complete.
At the end of the day, Mike was going on to Sylvia’s Soul Food Restaurant which is supposed to have the best “down home southern food” (ENY, 188) in Manhattan. I thought about joining him, but I was tired and eager to catch an early train, so we left him in Harlem. I didn’t see the Mineola train at Penn, so I jumped on the Garden City line and was lucky to not have to stop in Jamaica. The early train only cost $3.00 more, but as I sat on the train, I knew that I missed, “Sylvia’s world famous talked about bar-b-que ribs”. Maybe next time.
Lower Manhattan
Our class must be the lucky group because today, week 6, it was once again a great day. I arrived at Penn Station, again on time, "Pennsylvania Station is the busiest train station in the United States" (ENY,113) , so there is always the anxiety that something could go wrong. Today New York Comic Con was going on at the Javits Center so people were dressed up in some outrageous outfits, but it was all in fun and amusing.
Our first stop was at the Woolworth Building, which is on Broadway in Lower Manhattan, "the building, which is neo-gothic in style, was designed by Cass Gilbert, who was inspired by medieval cathedrals that he had seen in France." (ENY, 46). In 1913, it was the second tallest building in the world until Chrysler completed his building in 1930. Also on Broadway we saw the African Burial Ground, "From 1690 to 1794 an estimated 20,000 free Africans and slaves were buried in a 6.6 acre burial ground on this site, which at the time was outside the boundaries of the City of New York" (ENY,45). It was amazing that this area was not rediscovered until 1991 while constructing a Federal office building. I'm glad the National Park Service took over the area and it is now preserved.
Next off to City Hall where our female tour guide Gail, gave is a tour. This "houses the office of the Mayor and The City Council" (ENY, 40). We were able to go into the city council chamber. It was completed in 1811 and is the oldest city hall in the United States. It's architecture is French Renaissance. I had never been here before and it is interesting to see and learn its history. The Governor's Room was really cool and it "is now used for official receptions" (ENY,41). Most of us ate at Chipotle Mexican Grill, which I've been to once before, so everything was good.
We went to the church across from the 9/11 Memorial, which is St. Paul's Chapel. It is a beautiful old church, "completed in 1766, this is New York's only intact pre-Revolutionary War Church" (ENY,46). It is part of the same parish as Trinity Church. "supposedly St. Paul's was spared by a sycamore tree that stood in it's cemetery which deflected debris from the church "(ENY,47). This is a touching story and it was good to know the 9/11 workers had a place they could rest and recoup. We also saw the preserved bronze root of the tree at Trinity Church.
We saw the 9/11 Memorial and Museum in the World Trade Center Complex. According to Mike,"the museum provides a poignant history of the events of September 11, 2001 and their aftermath" (ENY,49). The 9/11 memorial is a place of remembrance and reflection. I can't help forget that day because several of my classmates parents died and as a volunteer firefighter, the loss to the police and firefighters was devastating. "The names of of the victims of the 9/11 attacks are inscribed in bronze around the edge of the waterfalls" (ENY,49). It is a remembrance of the 2983 souls that died that day. I never knew about the survivor pear tree, but I am glad I got to see it on this trip. I also got some great photos of the Freedom Tower or One World Trade Center which, "is now the tallest building in the Untied States and the fourth tallest in the world." (ENY, 48). It is 1776 feet tall.
At Wall Street and the Trinity Churchyard we saw the Astor Memorial Cross. The first Trinity Church was built in 1697 but was destroyed by a fire. "The present Church was designed by Richard M. Upjohn in Gothic Revival style and completed in 1846" (ENY, 50).
Wall Street "derived its name from the 14 foot wall built by Peter Stuyvesant in 1653 that stood there to protect the city from English and Indian invasions and which also marked New Amsterdam's northern boundary" (ENY. 50). We saw the Charging New York Stock Exchange bull which is in the financial district and was placed there in 1989 by the artist without authorization. The bronze statute was also seen in the movie "Hitch."
At the end of our touring, we sat on the steps of the National Museum of the American Indian which is located on the south side of Bowling Green. Outside vendors were selling their merchandise. My girlfriend then met me atPenn Station and we walked around Battery Park. We saw a really cute stray cat that we wanted to take home, but we both have small dogs, so that wouldn't work. We then walked to Times square where we ate at Guy's American Kitchen & Bar. This is Guy Fieri's Restaurant in Times Square who does all the food shows. The food was okay, I thought it would be better. It was a bit overpriced, but its Manhattan. Full and tired we jumped on the train and headed for home. Another day full with experiences to talk about.
Our first stop was at the Woolworth Building, which is on Broadway in Lower Manhattan, "the building, which is neo-gothic in style, was designed by Cass Gilbert, who was inspired by medieval cathedrals that he had seen in France." (ENY, 46). In 1913, it was the second tallest building in the world until Chrysler completed his building in 1930. Also on Broadway we saw the African Burial Ground, "From 1690 to 1794 an estimated 20,000 free Africans and slaves were buried in a 6.6 acre burial ground on this site, which at the time was outside the boundaries of the City of New York" (ENY,45). It was amazing that this area was not rediscovered until 1991 while constructing a Federal office building. I'm glad the National Park Service took over the area and it is now preserved.
Next off to City Hall where our female tour guide Gail, gave is a tour. This "houses the office of the Mayor and The City Council" (ENY, 40). We were able to go into the city council chamber. It was completed in 1811 and is the oldest city hall in the United States. It's architecture is French Renaissance. I had never been here before and it is interesting to see and learn its history. The Governor's Room was really cool and it "is now used for official receptions" (ENY,41). Most of us ate at Chipotle Mexican Grill, which I've been to once before, so everything was good.
We went to the church across from the 9/11 Memorial, which is St. Paul's Chapel. It is a beautiful old church, "completed in 1766, this is New York's only intact pre-Revolutionary War Church" (ENY,46). It is part of the same parish as Trinity Church. "supposedly St. Paul's was spared by a sycamore tree that stood in it's cemetery which deflected debris from the church "(ENY,47). This is a touching story and it was good to know the 9/11 workers had a place they could rest and recoup. We also saw the preserved bronze root of the tree at Trinity Church.
We saw the 9/11 Memorial and Museum in the World Trade Center Complex. According to Mike,"the museum provides a poignant history of the events of September 11, 2001 and their aftermath" (ENY,49). The 9/11 memorial is a place of remembrance and reflection. I can't help forget that day because several of my classmates parents died and as a volunteer firefighter, the loss to the police and firefighters was devastating. "The names of of the victims of the 9/11 attacks are inscribed in bronze around the edge of the waterfalls" (ENY,49). It is a remembrance of the 2983 souls that died that day. I never knew about the survivor pear tree, but I am glad I got to see it on this trip. I also got some great photos of the Freedom Tower or One World Trade Center which, "is now the tallest building in the Untied States and the fourth tallest in the world." (ENY, 48). It is 1776 feet tall.
At Wall Street and the Trinity Churchyard we saw the Astor Memorial Cross. The first Trinity Church was built in 1697 but was destroyed by a fire. "The present Church was designed by Richard M. Upjohn in Gothic Revival style and completed in 1846" (ENY, 50).
Wall Street "derived its name from the 14 foot wall built by Peter Stuyvesant in 1653 that stood there to protect the city from English and Indian invasions and which also marked New Amsterdam's northern boundary" (ENY. 50). We saw the Charging New York Stock Exchange bull which is in the financial district and was placed there in 1989 by the artist without authorization. The bronze statute was also seen in the movie "Hitch."
At the end of our touring, we sat on the steps of the National Museum of the American Indian which is located on the south side of Bowling Green. Outside vendors were selling their merchandise. My girlfriend then met me atPenn Station and we walked around Battery Park. We saw a really cute stray cat that we wanted to take home, but we both have small dogs, so that wouldn't work. We then walked to Times square where we ate at Guy's American Kitchen & Bar. This is Guy Fieri's Restaurant in Times Square who does all the food shows. The food was okay, I thought it would be better. It was a bit overpriced, but its Manhattan. Full and tired we jumped on the train and headed for home. Another day full with experiences to talk about.
Lower East Side, Chinatown
Today was the last day of our seven day class and once again the sun was shining and the trains were running more or less on time. For New York City you can't get much better than that.
"New York is a city of immigrants and nowhere is this fact more evident than the Manhattan communities of the Lower East Side, Chinatown, and Little Italy" (ENY,65). We took the subway to the Lower East Side Tenement Museum on Orchard Street. There we had a tour guide of the facility, but no pictures were allowed. This building housed about 7,000 people from 1863-1935 "from over 20 countries" (ENY,67). The tenement had 5 residential floors with 20 apartments all the same size, which was about 325 square feet. There were 8-10 people in each apartment. The place was so small, I can't imagine having to live in a place like the one we saw. " In 1935, the landlord evicted tenants and sealed up the building rather than continue to update the building in compliance with new housing laws" (ENY,67). The museum is a National Historic Landmark. In the summers people slept on the fire escapes or on the roof because it got very hot. According to the guide minors worked 60 hour weeks and adults worked even more hours in sweatshops. They made about 6-8 dresses a day for about 75 cents. The rent was $15 a month. After the Triangle Shirtwaist factory fire worker safety laws were required.
Next we had a scavenger hunt for two hours in Chinatown. My group easily found our way along Mott and Canal streets. We saw the Buddhist Temple. It seemed very commercialized, a place where there were lots of souvenirs for sale. We tried the Chinese pork bun, which was okay. Next we tried Chinese ice cream, I had mango and coconut sherbet, which I really enjoyed. Next we went to the bubble tea place, which I didn't sample but it did look interesting. The bubbles usually are tapioca balls or green pearls, they come in all flavors.
We met Mike and Meritta and the others back at the tenement house and tried authentic Chinese food at the Congee Village Restaurant. This was a friendly sit-down family style restaurant. Unfortunately except for the Sesame Chicken, the rice, and the Chinese broccoli the rest was stuff I either wouldn't eat or didn't like. Squid in pineapple is not something I would ever order or enjoy. I stopped at a Starbucks and got my favorite double chocolate chip frapuccino drink.
We stopped in Economy Candy, "an old time candy store that has sweets that you probably haven't seen since your childhood" (ENY, 67) . The store was really large. The original family still runs the place.
Next was a guided tour from the same guy, Jim, who took us around Harlem. We were in a Jewish neighborhood now in Lower Manhattan. We saw the Eldridge Street Synagogue, which "was constructed in 1887 and was the first synagogue in New York built by Eastern European Jews" (ENY,71). Today the synagogue is in Chinatown. We walked passed other synagogues and we walked in the Williamsburgh Bridge area. "Once known as the Jews Highway, because of the number of Jewish immigrants who used to travel back and forth between Brooklyn and the Lower East Side" (ENY,68).
We saw the Henry Street Settlement, "which was founded by Lillian Wald" (ENY,69) by a 25-year-old nursing student in 1893.
Our Class finished here and about ten of us headed to the Continental Bar at 3rd and 9th Street. There we got 5 shots of anything for $10. Not a bad deal for Manhattan. But after a couple of rounds and some relaxing conversation, I headed to Penn Station with a couple of people. Proud that we could find our way, we walked and caught different trains heading east. A good end to a good class.
"New York is a city of immigrants and nowhere is this fact more evident than the Manhattan communities of the Lower East Side, Chinatown, and Little Italy" (ENY,65). We took the subway to the Lower East Side Tenement Museum on Orchard Street. There we had a tour guide of the facility, but no pictures were allowed. This building housed about 7,000 people from 1863-1935 "from over 20 countries" (ENY,67). The tenement had 5 residential floors with 20 apartments all the same size, which was about 325 square feet. There were 8-10 people in each apartment. The place was so small, I can't imagine having to live in a place like the one we saw. " In 1935, the landlord evicted tenants and sealed up the building rather than continue to update the building in compliance with new housing laws" (ENY,67). The museum is a National Historic Landmark. In the summers people slept on the fire escapes or on the roof because it got very hot. According to the guide minors worked 60 hour weeks and adults worked even more hours in sweatshops. They made about 6-8 dresses a day for about 75 cents. The rent was $15 a month. After the Triangle Shirtwaist factory fire worker safety laws were required.
Next we had a scavenger hunt for two hours in Chinatown. My group easily found our way along Mott and Canal streets. We saw the Buddhist Temple. It seemed very commercialized, a place where there were lots of souvenirs for sale. We tried the Chinese pork bun, which was okay. Next we tried Chinese ice cream, I had mango and coconut sherbet, which I really enjoyed. Next we went to the bubble tea place, which I didn't sample but it did look interesting. The bubbles usually are tapioca balls or green pearls, they come in all flavors.
We met Mike and Meritta and the others back at the tenement house and tried authentic Chinese food at the Congee Village Restaurant. This was a friendly sit-down family style restaurant. Unfortunately except for the Sesame Chicken, the rice, and the Chinese broccoli the rest was stuff I either wouldn't eat or didn't like. Squid in pineapple is not something I would ever order or enjoy. I stopped at a Starbucks and got my favorite double chocolate chip frapuccino drink.
We stopped in Economy Candy, "an old time candy store that has sweets that you probably haven't seen since your childhood" (ENY, 67) . The store was really large. The original family still runs the place.
Next was a guided tour from the same guy, Jim, who took us around Harlem. We were in a Jewish neighborhood now in Lower Manhattan. We saw the Eldridge Street Synagogue, which "was constructed in 1887 and was the first synagogue in New York built by Eastern European Jews" (ENY,71). Today the synagogue is in Chinatown. We walked passed other synagogues and we walked in the Williamsburgh Bridge area. "Once known as the Jews Highway, because of the number of Jewish immigrants who used to travel back and forth between Brooklyn and the Lower East Side" (ENY,68).
We saw the Henry Street Settlement, "which was founded by Lillian Wald" (ENY,69) by a 25-year-old nursing student in 1893.
Our Class finished here and about ten of us headed to the Continental Bar at 3rd and 9th Street. There we got 5 shots of anything for $10. Not a bad deal for Manhattan. But after a couple of rounds and some relaxing conversation, I headed to Penn Station with a couple of people. Proud that we could find our way, we walked and caught different trains heading east. A good end to a good class.
Impressions of nyc
When I think of New York City, I still think of Manhattan, and culturally diverse people living, working or visiting the city. But now I feel like I was a part of that group. I know much more about the city than seven weeks ago. I know what trains to take to get in and out of Manhattan and I know when peak and off-peak begin and end. I know how to use a metro-card and which subways to take to my destination. If I were walking, I would know which direction to walk in, based on the grid of the city.
I may have been to different parts of the city before but I didn't know the names of the areas. I went to museums I may not have attended on my own and I ate food I had never experienced. I was never nervous about traveling in areas with the class but there was extra security at times and we were together. If I got a job in Manhattan, I would be okay with getting in and out by myself, but it's always nice to have company.
Our class was so lucky to have perfect weather for every day. I can imagine when Mike planned the class, he had imagined early fall to be the perfect time to walk to all the sites. He was right for our group.
Our group was a diversified group, much like Manhattan, and we all got along well. I learned so much about New York City and the immigrant populations. I was impressed with our tour guides, they really knew their stuff. I also was impressed with the gentrification that is taking place in all the boroughs we visited. Queens and Brooklyn are really looking a lot better than I remembered.
The city is still expensive. Commuting costs too much. But I never encountered any problems and I am glad that I was able to share my experiences with such a unique group of people. Mike and Meritta were great and I looked forward to meeting them every week. As I think over the last seven weeks, I know for sure that the vast amount of knowledge that I have stored in my head right now, can't be taught in a classroom. Thanks goes to both of the teachers for that.
I may have been to different parts of the city before but I didn't know the names of the areas. I went to museums I may not have attended on my own and I ate food I had never experienced. I was never nervous about traveling in areas with the class but there was extra security at times and we were together. If I got a job in Manhattan, I would be okay with getting in and out by myself, but it's always nice to have company.
Our class was so lucky to have perfect weather for every day. I can imagine when Mike planned the class, he had imagined early fall to be the perfect time to walk to all the sites. He was right for our group.
Our group was a diversified group, much like Manhattan, and we all got along well. I learned so much about New York City and the immigrant populations. I was impressed with our tour guides, they really knew their stuff. I also was impressed with the gentrification that is taking place in all the boroughs we visited. Queens and Brooklyn are really looking a lot better than I remembered.
The city is still expensive. Commuting costs too much. But I never encountered any problems and I am glad that I was able to share my experiences with such a unique group of people. Mike and Meritta were great and I looked forward to meeting them every week. As I think over the last seven weeks, I know for sure that the vast amount of knowledge that I have stored in my head right now, can't be taught in a classroom. Thanks goes to both of the teachers for that.